Starting Over (22 page)

Dan moved in
closer, lowering his voice when he said, “Say whatever you want for
his benefit, but we both know if you hadn’t gotten pregnant when
you did, you and I would have found our way back to each
other.”

“That’s it,”
Alex said, grabbing the back of Dan’s shirt. “Get the hell out of
here before I throw you out on your sorry ass.”

Alex was a big
man, outweighing Dan by at least forty pounds. Despite Dan’s
posturing, Eve could sense he was taking the threat seriously.

“I’m not
leaving until Eve asks me to,” Dan said, planting his feet shoulder
width apart as he braced his hands on his hips and stared down at
Eve.

Eve gripped the
edge of her desk. “We can’t be
just
friends and we’ll never
be anything more. I’m sorry, but you don’t belong here anymore,
Dan.”

The rage that
had been simmering beneath Dan’s calm facade for years finally
erupted. “You stupid little—”

Alex wrenched
Dan’s arm behind his back, making him wince. “Finish that sentence,
and I’ll break your arm.”

Clenching his
teeth, Dan said, “I’ve worked here for years. This is my home. If
Sharon was gonna leave this place to anyone, it should’ve been
me.”

“But she
didn’t.” Eve said, knowing how important it was for her to stand
her ground so Dan wouldn’t even think about coming back. “She left
it to me, and that means it’s up to me to hire and fire people as I
see fit.”

Silence fell as
Dan glared at Eve. “So you’re firing me?” He sneered. “You really
think this guy is gonna be there for you? When has he ever put you
first? You think it’s gonna be any different just because you have
a kid together?”

“I trust Alex,”
Eve said, surprising herself with the conviction in her voice. She
realized she did trust him to be there for her and their baby.

“He’ll never be
half the father I could’ve been to that baby.”

Dan’s eyes
drifted to Eve’s stomach and she almost felt sorry for him. “That’s
why you suggested I try to pass the baby off as yours?”

“If I’d ever
found out about it”—Alex’s voice was a menacing whisper in Dan’s
ear—“I would’ve come after you. Consider yourself lucky Eve turned
you down, because trust me, it wouldn’t have been worth the price
you would have had to pay for trying to steal my kid.”

“Let him go,
Alex,” Eve said, locking eyes with the man she loved. Picking up
the phone, she pressed a button to connect her with the security
office. “Hi Pat, it’s Eve. I’d like you to escort Dan off the
property. He’s no longer on staff.”

“This is really
what you want?” Dan asked, clenching his fists as he broke free of
Alex. “Fine, but don’t come crying to me when he breaks your heart
again.”

***

Seeing Eve in
so much pain killed Alex. “I’m sorry,” he said, not knowing what
else to say when they were finally alone.

“Why? You
warned me about him all along. You said he couldn’t be trusted. I
guess you were right.” Her hand trembled as she reached for a
folder on the corner of her desk. He could tell she was determined
not to let her guard down with him. “He wasn’t interested in being
my friend. He wasn’t there for me because he loved my aunt. I’m not
even sure he ever loved me.”

Alex had always
known Dan wanted to take Eve away from him, but he never imagined
it would go down this way. “Don’t let him get to you. He’s not
worth it.”

“How could I
have been so wrong about him?” she asked, her eyes fixed on the
non-descript folder. “What’s wrong with me? I mean, shouldn’t I
have known his only objective was to break us up? He didn’t care
about my happiness. His only concern was getting what he
wanted.”

Alex rounded
the desk and kneeled as he turned her chair to face him. “Listen to
me, you are the most trusting woman I’ve ever known. You want to
see the good in people, and I love that about you.”

“Yeah, just
look at where it’s gotten me,” she said softly. “He made a fool of
me.”

“He’s the fool.
He wasted half his life here expecting a payoff he’s never gonna
get. He’s the loser, not you.”

She hesitated
before speaking, as if weighing her words. “Maybe you’re
right.”

“I know I’m
right.” He leaned in to kiss her cheek, wishing she would turn her
head just a fraction of an inch so he could take her mouth.

“What am I
going to do now?” she asked, looking completely defeated. “Dan was
responsible for the day-to-day operations. There’s no way I can
take that on, not with the foundation and the renovation.”

“Let me spend
some time with Angela,” he said, referring to her assistant
manager. “She can bring me up to speed until you find someone else
to take Dan’s place… or decide you want to sell me half the inn.”
He knew that wasn’t the time to push the issue, but he wanted to
remind her she could already have the answer she’d been looking
for. Alex hated seeing her under so much stress, especially knowing
the impact it could have on their baby.

“She’s only
here part-time now. When she came back from maternity leave, she
wanted to cut her hours so she could spend more time with her
baby.” She hesitated for a moment. “My mother had an idea. I’d like
to hear what you think of it.”

Alex perched
his behind on the edge of the desk, waiting for her to continue. He
couldn’t help but think that asking his advice was a step in the
right direction. “Let’s hear it. What was Jane’s idea?”

“Well, I’ve
been struggling with a few of my aunt’s proposed changes.” Eve
looked up at him as she glided the swivel chair back a couple of
feet.

“Such as?”

“She wanted to
turn the inn into a retreat of sorts.” She tapped the arms of the
chair, looking thoughtful. “That just doesn’t sit well with
me.”

“Why’s that?”
Alex asked, regarding her carefully. He knew she was struggling
with guilt for even considering going against her aunt’s
wishes.

“The Lakeside
has always been a family-friendly vacation spot. Kids everywhere,
pets welcome, fisherman coming and going. It has a comfortable,
relaxed atmosphere, and I love that. I think that’s what makes
people come back year after year.”

“I think you’re
right,” Alex said, remembering how he’d felt the first time he
stepped on the property—welcome, like he was amongst family and
friends. Based on his conversations with other guests, he knew they
felt the same way. The staff had been with Sharon forever, and they
treated every guest like family. Alex agreed with Eve that it would
be a shame to lose that.

“But I don’t
want to go against her wishes.”

Alex stood up,
rounded the desk, and settled into the guest chair. “Tell me about
Sharon’s vision for this place.”

“Well, like I
said, she wanted it to be more of a retreat for stressed-out,
overworked women.”

“Kind of like
her?” Alex said, smiling.

“I think
because of the cancer, she realized she should have taken more time
for herself before it was too late. Making these changes to the inn
made her feel like she was helping other women before it was too
late for them.”

Alex considered
her words, knowing a lot hinged on his response. He wanted Eve to
honor Sharon’s memory, but he also wanted her to live and work in a
place she felt comfortable. “That makes sense. But maybe there’s a
way to carry out her vision while maintaining the essence of what
makes this place so great.”

“That’s what my
mother said.”

Alex smiled.
“It seems your mother’s developed a keen sense of what works.”

“Her
transformation is quite remarkable,” Eve said, smiling for the
first time since he walked into the room. “She’s proved invaluable
in the kitchen, and she’s been dragging me away to do yoga and
meditation every day. She says it’s important for me and the
baby.”

“Interesting,”
Alex said, running through the options in his head. “What did you
say Jane did before she came here?”

“She worked in
a health food store and taught yoga. Why?”

“Have you
thought about how you can put her skills to work around here? I’m
talking about a more permanent arrangement.” He didn’t want to
overstep, but he could see how much Eve needed her mother. The
feeling was obviously mutual.

“I have.
Actually, I thought she might be able to manage the spa/fitness
center when it’s finished.”

“I think that’s
a great idea. Have you asked her?”

“Not yet. I
wanted to give it a little more time, just to be sure.”

“Of course.” He
knew he would also be on probation before he earned her trust
again. “So tell me about Jane’s idea.”

“She said we
could modify some of Aunt Sharon’s plans. For example, give the
stressed-out moms a place to play with their families.”

“I think that’s
a great idea.”

Leaning
forward, her hands laced on her desk, Eve said, “I think so too.
We’d still have the spa and fitness center to offer yoga,
meditation, and tai chi, plus a variety of top-of-the-line
equipment.”

He loved seeing
that sparkle in her eye when she got excited about something. “What
else?”

“We could have
a licensed day care so the parents could leave their kids in
capable hands while they spent some alone time together.”

“That could
benefit you as well,” Alex said, “and maybe even Angela and some of
the other staff members.”

She grinned. “I
know. So you like the idea?”

“I love it, but
you don’t need my approval, Eve. This is your decision.” Even if he
bought half of the inn and took over managing operations, Eve’s
opinions would always be important. The inn was her home, and he
wanted her to always feel that way.

“I know, but…”
Her voice trailed off. She looked up at him through her lashes.
“You’re the business guy. You have all the experience and
education. I don’t.”

“Honey, don’t
ever question your ability,” Alex said. “You’re on the right track.
Just follow your instincts.”

“My aunt wanted
to replace the playground with a serenity garden, but my mother
thinks we could give parents a beautiful and quiet place to retreat
to while they watch their children play.”

“It sounds like
you’ve already got this all figured out,” he said, getting to his
feet. “You don’t need me.” He’d taken a few steps toward the door
when she stopped him.

“Actually, I
think I do need you.”

Holding his
breath, he turned to face her, praying his ears weren’t playing
tricks on him. “What do you mean?”

“I’m smart
enough to know I have strengths and weaknesses. You’re strong where
I’m weak.”

“And vice
versa,” he said, holding her gaze. “That’s what made us such a
great team.” He knew they were talking about business, but he
couldn’t forget that he wanted them to be so much more. Since she
was finally going to be the mother of his child, he couldn’t give
up on the forever they’d once promised each other.

“I think you’re
right.” She sunk her teeth into her bottom lip. “That’s why I’ve
decided to sell you half the inn.”

Alex tried to
school his features—the way he often had when he was negotiating a
multi-million dollar deal—but the inn wasn’t just another deal.
They were talking about his life, his family, and that meant
everything. “Are you sure? If you need more time to think about it,
I’ll—”

“I don’t.” She
stood and walked around the desk. “This is what I want, and I think
it’s what my aunt would have wanted too.”

“Great, I’ll
call James and get him to start on the paperwork right away.” He
couldn’t wipe the smile off his face if he tried. “I know deals
like this are usually sealed with a handshake, but do you think a
hug would be out of line?”

Eve tried,
unsuccessfully, to hide her smile. “I don’t think so.”

Alex pulled her
into his arms and held her tight as he said a silent prayer of
thanks. His life was finally making sense again. The only thing
that could make it better would be if they were still a couple.

As soon as James heard
about their deal, he decided to come out and present the contracts
himself, claiming he wanted to witness their union. Eve insisted he
bring his family so they could all spend a little quality time
together.

Alex was
grateful Eve had extended the invitation as he sat with his best
friend on the Adirondack chairs facing the lake, having a cold beer
while they watched his kids squealing and chasing each other with
plastic buckets of water.

“It’s good to
see you so at peace,” James said, holding out his beer bottle.
“Life out here really seems to agree with you.”

Alex tapped his
bottle against James’s as he smiled and said, “It took me a long
time, but I think I’ve finally got this life thing figured out. I
know what matters and what doesn’t now.”

“It looks like
Eve is right back where she belongs at the top of your priority
list.”

Alex hoped
that’s the way she felt. “She is.” He smiled as his godchildren got
busy building sand castles. “I was a jerk for letting her forget
that, but I know better now.”

In the week
since he’d arrived at the inn, he’d done everything in his power to
make her believe the workaholic she remembered was little more than
a figment of her imagination. He’d thrown himself into learning
everything he could about the inn during the day, but they always
retired to that very spot after dinner so Eve could put up her feet
and enjoy a cup of herbal tea as she told him about the challenges
she’d faced that day.

They were
getting closer, he could feel it. Instead of rushing it, he was
letting her set the pace for their new relationship. He knew she
still loved him as much as he loved her, and when the time was
right, they would find their way back to each other. He just had to
be patient and let her decide when she was ready.